30 November 2014

I'm so excited to introduce to you the wonderful Kat! Kat and I have known each other for a long time and have met in cyber space. She has been such an inspiration with her weightloss journey to myself and many others and I'm so excited that she's agreed to do this interview for me!

What was the catalyst for you wanting to lose weight?

My heart started playing up, it was skipping beats all over the place and taking my breath away. I was 33 years old and was put on heart medication. I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t scare me. The year prior, I’d had my gall bladder removed and was diagnosed with palindromic arthritis. I have PCOS, bad knees and a bad back. I also had lots of stomach problems and took pain medication most days for headaches. I kept thinking to myself “my body is failing me” but when I stepped back and looked at what I was eating the reality was, I was failing my body.

Prior to this successful weightloss, how many times have you attempted to get fit and healthy and failed?

I’ve struggled with my weight all my life, I have been everything from a size 14 down to a 6 and all the way up to a size 20. I have tried every fad diet out there and they all work while you’re doing them but when you stop, the weight just comes back.

What keeps you motivated?

I want to be healthy, I want to be a positive influence for my son and I want to be around to see him grow up. I want to enjoy life rather than praying not to wake up in the morning because the pain is so bad.

Absolutely! I’m cooking differently now and as a result my husband has lost 7kg without exercising. We both feel healthier and more confident which has had a positive effect on our relationship, we feel closer than ever.

My son and I now spend more quality time together. Before, I was too heavy and too lazy to get off the couch but now we walk down to the park together and chase each other around. He tries to copy me when I do step ups, push ups and sit ups. It’s so great seeing him more active.

I’m getting out more, being active with friends and family. My confidence levels are higher and I’m a much happier, positive person to be around.

How did you overcome those dreaded cravings?

I was a chocoholic but then I found chocolate protein shakes, YUM! They fill me up, kill the craving and give me energy to keep going. Try making one then warming up it up in the microwave it’s like thick chocolate custard, pure indulgence.

Healthy eating is often one of the most challenging parts of losing weight. Did you struggle with the emotional and psychological aspect of changing the way you eat?

No, my depression was at an all time low so a positive step towards my health was only going to make me feel better. I didn’t see my changes as depriving myself though, I saw it as me finally feeding my body properly. We really need to stop looking at food as enjoyment, to be devoured whenever we want. Food is fuel for our bodies, pure and simple. If you’re putting in bad fuel, your body isn’t going to function properly.

What was your biggest downfall during this journey?

Probably my knees, I find my knees pain holds me back from doing some things. I can’t do squats or lunges or anything that weight bears on a bent knee. I’ve just learnt how to adapt my workouts around them and keep going.

What do you eat on a typical day?

Breakfast

1 x cup of black tea, 1 sugar with milk (haven’t been able to give this up yet)

2 to 3 egg whites, one yolk with a handful of spinach

If I’m really hungry I might have 1-2 pieces of rye toast as well.

Mid morning snack

A cup of peppermint or green tea

1 piece of fruit

Lunch

A piece of chicken breast or tin of tuna

A large handful of green salad or green veggies

A tablespoon of brown rice if I’m hungry

Mid afternoon snack

1 protein shake

If I’m hungry I might have some almonds too

Dinner

Chicken, fish or homemade lean beef rissoles

A large handful of green veggies or salad

What are your top 5 tips to others wanting to lose weight?

No.1 - Meal prep, I seriously cannot emphasise it enough. If you don’t prepare to eat well then it becomes too easy to grab takeaway or eat the wrong thing. It’s not about dieting it’s about a lifestyle change, you have to change your eating habits for life if you want to lose weight, keep it off and get healthy.

No.2 - Water, drink 2-3 litres a day. We often confuse thirst for hunger, if you are hydrated properly you are less likely to be hungry. You will also help your digestive system function better.. If you struggle to remember to drink water like I used to then set yourself goals, 500mls by 10am, another 500mls by 1pm, another 500mls by 4pm and the final 500mls before bed. Note: you will pee a lot at first but your body does adjust.

No.3 – Exercise. Something I read that stuck with me…You don’t find the time to exercise you make the time to exercise. Your health is important; it is a priority, so start making it one. If you aren’t functioning on 100% then everything else in your life suffers.

No.4 - Incidental exercise, park a bit further away, walk around the park while your child plays, do calf raises whilst filing up petrol (yes you may look silly but you will have better calves than everyone else there), every little bit counts so get moving.

No.5 –Don’t focus on how far you have to go, look at how far you have come. I can look in the mirror and say to myself “I still have 15kg to lose” and get sad about how far I still have to go or I can look in the mirror and say “I’ve lost 34kg” look how far I’ve come! Setting small 5–10kg kg goals will see you hitting your goals sooner which will help keep you motivated and focused.

How did being overweight make you feel in day to day life?

I was sick, tired, sore and seriously depressed. I had no self-confidence, I didn’t want to leave the house and I was miserable to be around.

How do you feel in day to day life now that you’re healthier and fitter?

Like I could run a marathon (I probably couldn’t lol). I feel great, I am so much happier and sleeping so much better. No more daily headaches, my arthritis hasn’t flared up in months, my stomach problems are all gone. I have a lot more confidence and love being out in the sun enjoying life.

Weightloss is not only about getting fit and eating healthy but dealing with physiological strain? Do you struggle seeing yourself as a new and improved person or do you still think of yourself as the girl from a year ago? I am so different to the girl I was a year ago. I feel my clothes getting too big for me and get excited about having to buy a smaller size. I can see how far I’ve come and am trying to be more accepting of myself warts and all.

If you could give one piece of advice to a busy, sleep deprived mum, what would it be?

Weight loss is 80% diet. Eat well, give your body the right type of fuel and it will reward you. Oh and youtube exercises you can do at home, get the kids involved and have fun.

What are some of the exercises that you’ve tried and which ones do you love?

I try to get to the gym most days and do some cardio and weight training. I love weight training, 3-4 sets with high reps will have you working up a sweat. Some days I’ll put a new movie on the tablet, take it to the gym and watch the movie while walking on the treadmill, before I know it I’ve done 1.5 hours of cardio. Nothing beats a sunny day running around a park with my son though, doesn’t even feel like exercise.

Thinking back, is there anything you would do differently?

I wouldn’t have allowed myself to get that big in the first place but it’s given me the reality check I needed to start treating my body better and start appreciating life a bit more. If I can inspire just one other person to get healthier than it’s all been worth it.

February 2010 April 2010

June 2014 November 2014

October 2014

What do you all think about this amazing transformation from Kat? Has she inspired you a little bit to take on a healthier lifestyle?

3. Country Road Stamp Print Dress
This dress just screams casual summer bbq's with friends and family. It's a beautiful fabric that's perfect for summer and it's such an amazing fit that it can be worn casual or dressed up.

4. Limited Edition Hourglass Blush Wardrobe
If you gift this to anyone, I think they would be forever grateful. This is the perfect blush palette and will suite every skintone.

6. Country Road Soda Tea Towel
You know you're getting older when you start putting tea towels on your christmas wish list. I've only just recently discovered the country road tea towels and they are amazing. Definitely worth the price.

7. Swarovski Bella Pierced Earrings
I've been wanting these forever and I know that my wonderful mum has already purchased these for my birthday.

8. Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in 15 Sensational
These lip glosses are so beautiful, pigmented, easy to wear and not sticky.

9. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDT
This fragrance is so unique. It's fresh but sweet at the same time. The EDT smells completely different to the EDP which I never knew the perfume companies did.

10. Freedom Furniture Inca Vessel
This Vessel is a beautiful yellow and makes for a perfect pop of colour in your place.

I would love to hear what is on your Christmas Wish List this year? Will be adding any of these items to yours?

24 November 2014

The spring and summer season and well and truly upon us. I couldn't wait to wear skirts, shorts and short sleeve tops, but then I realised that I wasn't ready for this season at all. I'll admit it, I get a little lazy in winter when it comes to shaving, self tanning and exfoliating.

Here a few products that I've used in the past few weeks to get myself ready for the skirts, singlet and bikini season.

Exfoliating
I use my loofer every single day to apply my shower gel with. It helps with dry patches and flakey skin and leaves skin soft after ever single shower. Once a week or fortnight I like to use a body scrub. I've tried a few in the past but the Frank Coffee Scrub seems to do wonders on my skin and makes it seem more glowing.

Hair Care
Everyone has a preference when it comes to removing unwanted hairs and mine is generally shaving, but if I'm going away on a holiday or want to prolong the hair growth then I prefer to wax. I'd either go to a salon or DIY at home. I received this amazing Roll on Kit by Waxaway Aquawax* and am waiting to try it. It comes with 3 attachments suitable for facial hair, bikini line and legs. Another great product for hair removal is the Veet Spray On Hair Removal Cream. I love this product because I don't have to get my hands messy applying it and it comes with a handy applicator to remove the product and hair.

Tanning
I'm a huge fan of gradual tanners because you can control the depth of the colour and it's taken me some time to find a product that doesn't turn orange after prolonged use, and I found it when I tried the Pure Tan Gradual Tan*. This product is AMAZEBALLS!!!! I won't reveal too much as there is a full review coming soon. Another selling point for me with Pure Tan is that they also have a Gradual Tan for the Face* which is gentle on the skin, doesn't block the pores and doesn't make my face look like an oil sleek.
If I do want an instant tan, then I will reach for the Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam in Light/Medium. It's the only tan on the market that I've tried so far that doesn't leave me looking like a streaked orange. It also has a pleasant smell that isn't overwhelming. My favourite way to apply an instant tan is with my St Tropez Tan Application Mitt. I do think that the mitt makes a huge difference to the finish of the tan.

These are my favourite products to get me ready for summer. Don't forget to always moisturise your skin and wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn and other nasty things such as Melanoma.

What are your favourite beauty rituals to get your body ready for summer?

20 November 2014

It is a limited edition blush palette which reminds me a little bit of the Nars Virtual Domination Palette.

The Packaging
The Greatest Hits Cheek Palette comes in a sleek black plastic case with gold Napoleon Perdis. It comes with a decent mirror which is handy when you're out and about or travelling.

The Blushes
The Napoleon Perdis Cheek Palette has two highlighters, two blushes and two contour colours.

The highlighters aren't as pigmented as I would like them too be, but sometimes that's a good thing as you can built it up to the desired "glow". The highlighters come in pink and yellow undertones.

The blushes are the perfect summer colours. One baby pink and one coral. The two blushes, just like the highlighters aren't as pigmented which is a little bit disappointing for me as the colours are quiet light and you need a heavy hand to get some colour to show up on your skin.

The contour colours on the other hand have really good pigmentation and you only need a light hand to apply it and have the colour show up. Just like the highlighters one comes in pink and the other in yellow undertones to suit various skin colours.

All in all, I'm happy with this purchase and can't wait to get more use out of it. It's practical for travelling and to pop into your handbag when you're out and about.
I'm excited to give more of their new products a try in the near future.

19 November 2014

As many of my fellow beauty bloggers and enthusiasts know, Priceline has a 40% of Cosmetics at the moment (until the end of today). I dragged myself to the local priceline last night in hope to stock up on a few drugstore items that I've been keen to try. This is a fairly small priceline so they don't have a huge range of different brands, but I'm happy with my purchase none the less.

Rimmel London Provocalips in Dare to Pink RRP $17.95, Sale Price $10.77
There have been amazing reviews on these liquid lipsticks lately and I couldn't wait to try it. I only picked out one colour as it's my first time trying a liquid lipstick.

Essence Lash Princess Mascara RRP $6.75, Sale Price $4.05
This doesn't seem to be on their site anymore, but Lilit from Makeup and Macaroons has raved about this mascara and I had to try it.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday RRP $19.95, Sale Price $11.97
I had no intention in buying more lipsticks, but this colour caught my eye. It's a sheer red/pink colour and I can't wait to try it.

Essie Nailpolish in Bikini so Teeny RRP $16.95, Sale Price $10.17
This seems to be the perfect muted blue with a hint of sparkle and I don't have anything like it in my collection.

Lanolip 101 Ointment RRP $17.99, Sale Price $10.79
If you love wearing lipstick, then you know how important it is to keep your lips nourished and chap free. I've never tried Lanolip before so looking forward to trying it.

As you can see this is a haul full of firsts. I haven't stocked up on any of my favourite items that I usually repurchase because I wanted to try a couple of new products.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you picked up at the Priceline 40% Sale.

15 November 2014

My beautiful mum bought me this Chanel Eyeshadow Quad on her travels in Europe (how spoilt am I?) and I've been holding off trying it because it was so pretty and it is Chanel. I didn't want to disturb the beautiful compact or the colours. I know a little crazy but I'm sure there are others who feel that way.

The Packaging

The eyeshadows come in the classic black and gold Chanel box and the actual compact is kept in the beautiful velvet pouch. The eyeshadows come in a beautiful compact that holds a decent size mirror and 2 eyeshadow applicators.

The Eyeshadows

The first eyeshadow is a beautiful muted coral/peach colour that has a beautiful sheen. The colour is absolutely beautiful and a favourite for me.

The second colour is an ivory beige with gold glitter through it. While the actual colour is gorgeous the glitter completely turns me off.

The third colour is nude with pink undertones with a slight sheen. It's my favourite for highlighting the brow bone and to add to the inner corners of the eye.

The fourth colour is a beautiful plum with a slight sheen and probably the most matte in the quad.

What I Like About It

The colours compliment each other really well and the quad is the perfect size to pop into your on the go makeup bag.

What I Don't Like About It

The actual eyeshadows. Let me elaborate. Whilst I love the colours, the quality of the eyeshadows isn't great considering how much you pay for it. The pigmentation is almost none existent and when I attempted to blend the colours together I managed to somehow get rid of the colours on my eyelids. I actually had to pack on the colours and blend the eyeshadows very very very gently in order to end up with any colour on my eyes. It may work better with a base colour but I haven't tried that yet.

Will I buy any other Chanel eyeshadows? Probably not. I do love the colours but for the price of one of these I could get myself a few good quality MAC or Makeup Geek eyeshadows.

12 November 2014

If you follow me on Instagram you would have noticed that I've been reaching for this foundation pretty much ever single day since it joined my collection. I will reveal to you straight away that it's become a favourite of mine and one I reach for over any other one in my collection.

The Packaging
The foundation comes in slim glass bottle with a pump and a lid.

The Foundation
Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation* comes with a comfort serum and is Skin Perfecting full coverage foundation. The foundation is quiet thick, but is very blendable and surprisingly doesn't feel heavy and cakey on the face. This foundation is scented and has an SPF 20.

How To Apply It
The best application for my skin is to apply it with my fingers over a primer. I find because I have fairly oily skin and the thick foundation just doesn't last very long without a primer, but I was surprised that it worked much better when applied with my fingers rather than a foundation brush. I've also noticed that any of my concealers seem to work so much better with this foundation , in particular the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer. The concealer just seems to settle nicely into the foundation/skin without getting into my fine lines.
The foundation creates a beautiful dewy finish which is perfect for this season.
I've also worn this foundation on the recently super hot days in Sydney (35+ degrees) and it didn't melt of my face, like so many others before have done. That's also without using a setting powder.

What I Like
The price tag! At $17.95 it's very affordable and I would definitely say that it works better than some of my high end foundation (Lancome Teint Visionnaire & Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation I'm looking at you) and once I've finished it, it will definitely be repurchased.

What I Don't Like
The fact that it's scented is a little bit of a bother to me. I don't mind a slight scent but this is a little bit overpowering when first applied. It does fade after a few minutes and it's only a minor complaint on this otherwise amazing foundation.

Have you tried this foundation? What are your thoughts on it?

* PR Sample - The opinions provided are 100% my own and I stay as objective as possible regardless of where the product(s) or service(s) came from.

07 November 2014

I would like to start by introducing to you my wonderful brother Boris (the running CrossFit freak). Boris was mentioned a few times in my blog and is my biggest weightloss support. He is a Graphic Designer by day and a fitness enthusiast by night. He is one of the founders of Sydney Harbour Runners and was also coaching CrossFit at Crossfit EC. I hope you enjoy this post and it helps you understand how Crossfit can be beneficial to your health, fitness and weightloss. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard of CrossFit. Maybe an overly enthusiastic co-worker can't stop telling you about how great he or she feels after 200 burpees and nearly throwing up. Perhaps your facebook newsfeed is flooded by a guy from school who's now bragging about hitting his first muscle up. However you heard about it, it's obvious that CrossFit is hard to ignore. In case you haven't, it's basically a style of interval training that makes use of functional movements like squats, push ups, pull ups, deadlifts and various gymnastics and weightlifting movements to give you one hell of a workout.

In the case of my sister Nikky, who runs this great blog, it came in the form of all of the above, from me. I tried CrossFit, fell in love and subsequently didn't stop talking about it. I apologise in hindsight for being annoying and telling people who wanted to know very little, way too much. But what was it about CrossFit that made me fall so in love with it that I had to tell everyone, as though I was a 15 year old school girl who just got asked out to a day time movie by her crush?

CrossFit was, very simply, unlike anything I'd ever done before. I was a passionate runner and went to the gym regularly to lift weights. I ran for cardio and performance, I lifted for aesthetics. Bench on Monday, back and biceps on Tuesday and so on, repeat indefinitely until you see what you want in the mirror. I could lift some reasonable weight, run for a long time at a decent pace and considered myself pretty fit.

Then a friend sent me a coupon for a CrossFit box (a name given to CrossFit gyms because they're usually housed inside a warehouse that resembles a box) that had opened in my area. I'd seen CrossFit on YouTube and heard about it on internet forums. I was interested and so I called up and booked my first class.

I was training for a marathon at the time, so you could imagine that I thought quite highly of my cardio when I walked in at 6am on a Wednesday. I walked out humbled and demolished, but with a smile on my face. They say you never forget your first WOD (workout of the day) and mine was called Linda. It was one of CrossFit's benchmark workouts, most of which have female names, because, according to CrossFit creator Greg Glassman, anything that leaves you on your back gasping for breath wondering what the hell happened, deserves a woman's name.

Needless to say I was hooked. I even became a qualified CrossFit coach and did some coaching at the same box where I first started, CrossFit EC in Sydney's South West. CrossFit really changed the way I thought about fitness, eating and healthy living in general. Even if you don't want to train at a CrossFit box, can't find one nearby or can't afford it, you can learn a lot from the way CrossFit works.

Below are 5 lesson to learn and incorporate into your own routine to lose weight and get fit:

1. Go hard.. Really hard... Harder than that

With CrossFit, the name of the game is intensity. Essentially, it means how hard you push yourself in any given workout. Keeping good form, you're encouraged to complete a WOD as fast as you can. No drink breaks, taking a breather or checking instagram. You're training now, focus on that and get the next rep out as fast as you can.

2. You don't need much time

We live in a busy, modern world. We work a lot, we have families, commitments and social events to attend. Plus, the Bachelor finale starts in 20 minutes. CrossFit is a blessing for time poor mums, overworked dads and those who struggle to find time work out. A standard CrossFit workout is anywhere between 3 minutes and 30 minutes in length. Think you can't get a decent workout done in 10 minutes? Think again. Try the workout at the bottom of this post as fast as you can and tell me if you felt like you didn't get a good workout.

3. Mix it up

One of the other things that's great about CrossFit is variety. You rarely complete the same workout twice and there's science behind the madness. When you exercise, your body seeks to adapt to that workout.

Think about going for a 2km run every morning. At first you might lose some weight and get fitter. Then progress stalls. You haven't lost any more weight and the run is getting easier every day. What gives? Your body adapted. It simply realised that a 2km run was part of what is required of it now and adjusted itself accordingly. For progress to continue you have to either increase the speed or increase the distance, or both. CrossFit works on a similar principle. Give your body variety, push it in different ways and it'll continue burning fat and building muscle to adapt.

4. Eat for performance

The way I ate before CrossFit compared with the way I eat now is very different. Because I was following bodybuilding style diets, I was either bulking up with loads of carbs, meat, dairy and anything else that was calorie rich, or 'shredding', which involved eating lots of meat and some green veggies. I was never very successful and needless to say, my diet played a huge part. The way I ate was far from perfect, for either bodybuilding or CrossFit. It was only recently that I started learning about which foods would best fuel my workouts.I found that meat weighs me down, especially red meat, with its long digestion time. Veggies, berry smoothies and avocados give me a long lasting energy supply. I'm not saying that what worked for me will work for you, but be open minded and figure out what best fuels your performance. Drinking more water and less soft drink, cutting down your intake of chocolates and lollies, reducing the amount of on meat you eat and adding lots of veggies is always a great start though.

5. Consistency is key... And it doesn't take much time

I know I said it earlier, but it bears repeating: you can get a great workout done in 10-15 minutes. You can do it in your back yard, living room, at the park, anywhere! That's not to say that when you have the time you shouldn't work out for longer, I'm just saying that being short on time isn't a barrier to exercise.

Here is a guideline I like to recommend to people who are getting into exercise:

Sweat every single day.

If you went for a brisk 20 minute walk 3 days a week, and did four 10 minute CrossFit workouts the remaining days, you would have spent 1 hour and 40 minutes exercising in a week. It's not a huge time commitment but you'll be lighter, fitter and more energised because of it. Try the workout below for a start and ask any questions you have in the comments. Enjoy :)

Lipstick & Motherhood CrossFit workout!

Do a light warmup of 10 jumping jacks and 10 toe touches x 2.

Then do this, as fast as good form will allow:

5 rounds10 squats5 burpees10 sit ups

Let me know how you feel!

I hope you all enjoyed this post as much as I did. Hands up if you've done the work out! Leave me a comment below with your time of the workout and if you are keen on trying CrossFit or have already tried it. In the meantime here are a few pictures of my brother from some of his amazing achievements.

Demonstrating stretches during CrossFit ECs Open Day, 2013

During my first ultra marathon, The North Face 50 2014, in the Blue Mountains

Front squats during a workout in my first CrossFit competition in Mildura, Victoria

With Australian ultra-running legend and Red Cross Ambassador Pat Farmer. Pat is known for running from the North Pole to the South Pole without a day of rest, averaging 2 marathons a day.

The last one of Boris and I after completing my very first Bridge Run in September 2013

05 November 2014

I’m a big fan of Melli Cosmetics and have been for many years. My first purchase from them was their eyeshadow palette a few years ago and the quality of them is unbelievable.

I was so excited when they released their new range of lipsticks a few months back. The colour selection is amazing. There is no surprise that I was really excited to see them at IMATS back in September and I stood there for about 30min trying to pick a lipstick colour. So here are some details on this amazing Cosmetics brand.

The Packaging

I don’t think I’ve seen more luxurious looking lipsticks in a very long time. The lipsticks come in beautiful rose gold square packaging that screams luxury. I think we all know how much I love rose gold at the moment.

The Lipstick

I picked out the colour Petal and Romance.
Petal is a beautiful muted pink. It’s the perfect everyday colour. I would go as far as say that it’s a “your lips but better” kind of colour.

Romance is a gorgeous nude/brown colour. I don’t usually for those type of colours but this one just works for me as it doesn’t make my lips looks dirty.
The lipsticks are beautiful and creamy. The 2 colours that I have are very pigmented and they last on my lips for hours even with eating and drinking.

L - R: Petal, Romance

Petal

Romance

Overall they are beautiful lipsticks that feel very moisturising on the lips and I’m so glad that I picked up 2 very wearable everyday colours.